“Live and let live”-essence of life

As far as care towards environment and nature are concerned, Bhutan’s Phobjikha Valley remains a role model.

Simply I got mesmerised by the story i.e. fact of this Valley, located in Central Bhutan.  On that valley stands the holy Buddhist monastery Gangteng. When winter sets in, the highly vulnerable and endangered species named Black-necked cranes fly in the Valley from Tibet.

But before descending and settling around the lakes in the Valley, the cranes at first circle over the monastery three times. The same process gets repeated during their return! After circling around the monastery thrice, they fly towards Tibet. This unbelievable gesture of these birds have augmented the feeling of respect of the local people of Phobjikha Valley towards the Black-necked cranes. So to welcome them, the inhabitants of the Valley conduct annual Crane Festival with utmost dignity. Young children dress up resembling the cranes. This is to create awareness about the sanctity of the cranes and also to imbibe a feeling of love and respect within the children towards the birds so that the Black-necked cranes can continue to throng the valley through generations. And when the birds settle around the lakes, even local people do not venture too close near it so that the birds do not get disturbed. The area turns into a protected zone and complete silence gets maintained so as to ensure a calm environment for the birds.

What an unimaginable broad-heartedness of the Bhutanese people and their concern for the environment and God-awarded lives!

Bhutan - awarding great stress towards all things environment, ecology, happiness, social as well as human development - represents the role model of the the world if our planet needs to survive. Bhutan, with its ‘Live and Let Live’ philosophy, represents the beacon of hope in this “dog eat dog” selfish environment prevalent in this world.

So in this context, when I had the fortune to witness an Indian film, my mind instantly got landed in Phobjikha Valley, Bhutan!

When developments of the global society churn nothing but a suffocating saga of a vulgar mindset of dominance and occupation; incomes a breeze of Easterly wind of relief in the form of a short Marathi language film titled ‘Khopa’!

The Niraj Deshmukh directed 2025 film, set on the backdrop of a rural environment, revolves around a child who notices the nest of a Weaver Bird hanging from a tree while working on the field. The innocent boy, amazed by the beauty and craft of the nest, fetches it down and brings home only to be directed by his father to assist the mason in the construction of their own home.

When the father asks about his experience in the night, the tired little boy recounts his pain very philosophically how he had to fetch bricks and water the whole day.

The smiling father advises how sweat and toil gets required to shed to lay even a brick and thereafter coming up with a home. But after it gets built, the home ensures safety and protection to its dwellers even amidst storm and turmoil!

As the camera pans upon the child, we see how his divine dreamy eyes travel far beyond with the next shot revealing it is morning and the child reinstates the nest where it was hanging the other day on its own right! And when the child started his return home with the bicycle, he stopped on the tracks on hearing cheerful chirp of birds and as he glances back, notices the arrival of the flying creatures in their safety of “Home” which was built straw by straw at the expense of much sweat toil and perseverance! Never can the viewers forget the last shot of the film where a pure smile spreads in the face of the child for the job well done and surely by getting rid of a feeling of guilt after hearing the advice of his father!

What an excellent message imparted by the child (perceiving the sentiments of the birds around the ‘Khopa’ ie nest) to all so-called “Grown-ups” of the world and society who feel no qualms in pursuing self-interest without caring to perceive the pain, sentiment and feelings of others, especially the vulnerable! How can we afford to live or enjoy a night’s sleep without any compunction despite causing misery to others! How can we remain absolutely indifferent towards the plight of others by keeping ourselves within the safety of lofty ivory tower of our own!

From the innocent perspective of the child towards all forms of life, what a heart-touching film has been created by Niraj Deshmukh with the theme of the story, music song (at the end) to cinematography at the height of excellence! What a deluge of goodness embedded within such a short span!

And Raghav Ganesh Kale’s portrayal of the child character is “simply out of the world” with his twinkling eyes doing all the talking vividly reflecting his curiosity, physical pain, compassion and joy!

If all people start harboring such empathy for all living beings on the planet (as witnessed in the vast Phobjikha Valley or in the short film ‘Khopa’);  I wonder in what a beautiful world we could have lived breathed and found ourselves!

Contributed by Kajal Chatterjee